Tag Archives: Lancet

Typically, the demographic that seems to abuse prescription stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin has been high school and college-aged students. The drugs are said to temporarily increase concentration and focus, but many people have become addicted to these drugs, as they are amphetamines.

A new trend has started to emerge regarding the abuse of ADHD medicine. Doctors throughout the country are starting to see more and more adults request and receive prescriptions for these stimulants, quite in addition to the rising number of diagnoses.

“What we do know about this is the number of prescription written for adults is far outpacing the number of ADHD diagnoses being made,” explained Dr. Holly Phillips to CBS News.

A paper was recently published in the British medical journal The Lancet Psychiatry that indicates the number of adults who are choosing to take ADHD drugs for “lifestyle” reasons may be in the millions. The American Journal of Psychiatry says that around 4.5% of adults are diagnosed with ADHD, however there are many more prescriptions being written for these stimulants.

The dangers in taking prescription stimulants are basically the same as taking any other form of amphetamine. Increased heart rate, agitation, sleeplessness, paranoia and a high potential for abuse and addiction. Seeking out a healthier lifestyle will typically produce much better results compared to these types of drugs. If you suspect you have a loved one who is hooked on a prescription stimulant, contact us today.